Please keep in mind that US tax authorities never contact anyone via email. Always with regular/snail mail correspondence.
Additionally, the forms this request asks for is either - not collected by the IRS (W-8BEN) or do not exist (W-9095). If you ever have a doubt, go to the tax authorities website, call the number they list on the site and verify with a representative whether the request is legitimate.
Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner
for United States Tax Withholding OMB No. 1545-1621
Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code.
Is an IRS phone?, the form W-8BEN doesn't match with the one the www.irs.gov
This is the mail that I receipt
=====================================================
Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Service.
www.irs.gov
Application for a not ordinary resident (non-resident) saver to receive interest without tax taken off or deducted.
ATTN ;
Our records indicate that you are a non-resident alien. As a result, you are exempted from United States of America Tax reporting and withholdings, on interest paid you on your account and other financial dealing to protect your exemption from tax on your account and other financial benefit in rectifying your exemption status.
Therefore, you are to authenticate the following by completing W-8BEN FORM, and return to us as soon as possible via fax number enclosed on W-8BEN FORM.
If you are a USA Citizen and resident, this W-8BEN FORM is not meant for you, please indicate “USA Citizen/Resident” on the form and return it to us. We shall then send you a form W9095.
When completing W-8BEN FORM, please follow the steps below
1. We need you to provide your permanent address if different from the current mailing address on your W-8BEN FORM , you must indicate if a non-USA resident, your country of origin to support your non-resident status (if your bank account or other financial dealing has a USA address for mailing purpose).
2. If any joint account holder are now USA residents or Citizen, or in any way subject to USA tax reporting laws, Please check the box in this section.
3. Please have all account holders sign and date the form separately and fax it to the above-mentioned number.
Please, complete W-8BEN FORM attached” and return to us within 1 (one) week from the receipt of this letter by faxing it, to enable us update your records immediately if your account or any other financial benefits are not rectified in a timely manner, it will be subject to USA tax reporting and back up withholding (if back up withholding applies, we are required to withhold 30% of the interest paid to you).
What you need to do
Print out the attached notification and complete the attached W-8BEN FORM and Fax same along with a copy of your international passport to fax number on the form within 7 working days.
List of required documents:
1. A copy of filled W-8BEN FORM.
2. A photocopy of the photo page of your international passport.
Though the links and forms look legitimate (indeed this is an IRS form), the request to fax the form, rather than mail to IRS or hand to tax withholder, raises red flags with flashing red lights and blaring sirens. This is without a doubt a phishing scam.
Just receives one of those IRS scam emails too. Same fax number and form to fill out. They even asked me to send in a copy of my passport.
Since I used to be a non-resident alien, I almost thought the email was intended for me. But then I wondered why they have my email address and why they want me to fax it to a NY number while I live in CA.... Anyway, thanks to google, I found out about the scammers and am about to prepare a 1000 page word document filled with lines of f**k you! on all pages to be faxed to that fax number :-)